1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated equipment used in the food processing industry, and more specifically to an improved spray or wash nozzle for washing the interior body cavity of poultry (chickens, turkeys, geese, etc.) during processing. The present spray nozzle provides plural upwardly radiating spray paths as well as an outwardly radiating spray path, to provide more thorough washing of the interior body cavity of the animal, and fewer rejections of such products upon inspection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasing consumption has necessitated the automation of most aspects of the food processing industry, from raising animals for meat to killing and processing those animals for consumers. This is particularly true in the poultry industry (defined as incorporating not only chickens, but turkeys, geese, and any other birds raised for food consumption, for the purposes of the present disclosure).
Such birds are relatively small in comparison with most mammals raised for food, and thus a larger number of such birds (particularly chickens) are produced and consumed per capita. Accordingly, it is critical that the processing of such birds be automated to the greatest extent possible. This is true of such steps as the cleaning and washing of the birds, as well as evisceration and other steps. A conventional procedure after the evisceration of the birds, is to wash the internal body cavity to remove any undesirable foreign matter which may still reside in the cavity. This is generally done by an automated process in which a spray nozzle is inserted into the body cavity and the cavity is flushed out with water. However, such a washing or flushing technique is not perfect, and conventional spray apparatus used for such purpose often leave some undesirable residue within the cavity, necessitating the rejection of the animal when it is inspected further along the process.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a spray nozzle for use in the internal washing and cleaning of poultry products during processing, which nozzle provides greater efficiency than conventional apparatus used for the purpose. The present nozzle includes three separate orifices, with a central orifice providing a generally radial spray pattern and two radially displaced orifices which provide a generally upward and radially outward spray pattern. The result is greater cleaning and washing efficiency than conventional nozzles have provided in the past.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,335,267 issued on Mar. 30, 1920 to Jennings G. Ambrose et al., titled "Sprinkler," describes a sprinkler head or nozzle for use as a lawn and garden sprinkler. The device includes a series of three slotted orifices, with each of the orifices extending about a part of the circumference of the circular nozzle head. The upper and lower orifices are at an angle to the diameter, but all of the orifices provide a radial spray pattern, unlike the central orifice of the present nozzle. Such a purely radial pattern is desirable in watering a lawn or the like, but is undesirable in the environment of the present invention, where some vertical spray component is required. Also, as the Ambrose et al. nozzle is not intended for use in the food processing industry, no disclosure is made of the use of food grade materials in the construction of the Ambrose et al. nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,908 issued on Feb. 3, 1931 to Charles K. Fitts, titled "Nozzle Tip," describes a nozzle having an orifice pattern comprising a central elongated orifice with lateral orifices to each side oriented substantially ninety degrees to the central orifice. The Fitts nozzle provides a spray pattern generally coaxial with the axis of the nozzle, rather than radiating from the nozzle, as is required in the environment of the present nozzle. Other nozzles for use in other environments are also known, but are not suitable for use in the food industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,421 issued on Nov. 15, 1955 to George F. Smith et al., titled "Apparatus For The Internal Cleaning Of Dressed Turkeys Or Other Poultry," describes a mechanism incorporating a series of spray nozzles for the internal washing or flushing of the body cavity of a bird being processed. However, the spray pattern is not at all similar to that provided by the present spray nozzle. The Smith et al. nozzle comprises a series of relatively small, circular ports radiating from a pipe, with a cap having a series of holes therein providing an essentially coaxial flow. In contrast, the present spray nozzle provides a relatively flat and high stream radiating from the central orifice, with the two lateral orifices providing upward and radially outward sprays to flush essentially the entire cavity of the bird.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,547 issued on Mar. 20, 1956 to Ralph S. Zebarth, titled "Poultry Treating Apparatus," describes an automated conveyor type system with wash apparatus disposed exteriorly of the birds being processed. One of the wash or spray nozzles is positioned beneath the birds as they travel the conveyor, and is adapted to spray water upwardly into the eviscerated body cavity of the bird. Accordingly, the spray is directed in an essentially coaxial pattern, and does not spray radially outwardly from the nozzle, as is the case with the present spray nozzle which is positioned within the body cavity during the wash operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,669 issued on Apr. 16, 1974 to Janus J. Dillon, titled "System For Automatically Washing The Interior Of Fowl Carcasses," describes a mechanism including a series of probes which are introduced into the body cavity of the birds to flush the cavities. The probes each have a series of relatively small radially disposed fluid passages, adapted to produce a relatively narrow spray path. None of the spray passages appear to be angled upwardly for flushing the upper portion of the cavity, as provided by the two lateral passages of the present spray nozzle invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,016 issued on Dec. 10, 1985 to Heinrich W. Markart, titled "Washing Apparatus For The Internal Rinsing Of Poultry Carcasses," describes a spray assembly wherein the orifices are apparently downwardly oriented. This orientation does nothing to rinse the upper portions of the body cavity, whereas the present spray nozzle with its upwardly oriented lateral orifices or passages, directs a water spray not only radially outwardly from the nozzle, but also upwardly to flush essentially the entire body cavity of the poultry being processed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,054 issued on Aug. 20, 1991 to Adrianus J. van den Nieuwelaar, titled "Device And Method For Washing Poultry," describes a mechanism having a spray nozzle with a series of radially disposed ribs extending therefrom for capturing membranes remaining in the body cavity of the poultry. The spray nozzle itself includes a series of relatively small, circular passages which would spray relatively narrow jets of water, unlike the broad spray pattern of the present nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,579 issued on Jan. 12, 1993 to Lacy Simmons, titled "Poultry Washer," describes a washing apparatus comprising a bottle-like washer nozzle having a series of tangentially disposed jets or orifices therearound. The nozzle is spun by the reactive force of the water exiting the orifices when the system is in operation. As the orifices are tangentially disposed, rather than upwardly or downwardly disposed relative to the axis of the nozzle, a relatively large number of such orifices is required for the Simmons device. The present nozzle, with its three radially disposed nozzles, two of which produce a relatively wide stream of flow upwardly relative to the nozzle axis, provides a much more efficient means of thoroughly and completely rinsing the interior body cavity of poultry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,503 issued on Jan. 9, 1996 to Richard Scott et al., titled "Apparatus For Washing Poultry Carcasses," describes a machine including a plurality of washer nozzles which are selectively inserted into the body cavity of the poultry for washing the cavity. The nozzles produce a "hollow cone shaped discharge" (column 3, line 11) according to Scott et al., unlike the radially outward and upward discharge pattern of the present poultry processing spray nozzle.
Finally, Australian Patent Publication No. 258,501 published on Apr. 26, 1963 to Geoffrey Sly, titled "A New Or Improved Nozzle For Projecting Liquid From A Hose Or The Like," describes a two part nozzle, having a pair of orifices covered by a cap defining a plenum and having a single elongate orifice therein. The resulting spray pattern atomizes the liquid as it leaves the outer orifice, according to the specification. This is unsuitable for use as a wash or rinse nozzle, where streams of liquid water are required to impart the required physical impact to wash away foreign matter.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.